Maroon, in his his first season with the Blackhawks, the eighth stop of his 14-year career, is averaging 11:59 time-on-ice and has one point (0G / 1A) and 14 penalty minutes through 15 games. The 36-year-old's status for Saturday's game against the Buffalo Sabres is up in the air.
After playing 55 games with the Blackhawks last season, scoring 17 points (5G / 12A), the 26-year-old Anderson seems to have found a home in the NHL after being a journeyman for the first seven years of his career. He has one point (0G / 1A) in five games with the Blackhawks this season and his status for Saturday's game against the Buffalo Sabres is uncertain.
The Blackhawks will turn to Mrazek for the third straight game on Thursday when they host the San Jose Sharks. Despite a 1-2-0 record, Mrazek has been solid for the Blackhawks to start the season, showcasing a 2.71 GAA and .911 SV%, nearly mirroring the 3.05 GAA and .907 SV% he had last season. The Blackhawks enter the action on Thursday as -183 home favorites against a Sharks club that was defeated 3-2 in a shootout by the Dallas Stars in their previous game.
Martinez is battling a lower-body ailment and will miss at least one week of action. The veteran 37-year-old defenseman is averaging 21:02 time-on-ice through four games this season and has tallied one assist, 15 blocks, and one hit. The Blackhawks have recalled Isaak Phillips from the Rockford IceHogs (AHL) in the interim.
Veteran defenseman Alec Martinez will not play on Thursday due to a lower-body injury, allowing Allan to enter the Blackhawks' lineup. The 21-year-old Allan was the 32nd overall pick of the Blackhawks in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. He played 60 games with the Rockford IceHogs last season, tallying 17 points (5G / 12A).
Martinez is battling a lower-body ailment and will not play on Thursday against the San Jose Sharks. The veteran 37-year-old defenseman is averaging 21:02 time-on-ice through four games this season and has tallied one assist, 15 blocks, and one hit.
Lukas Reichel will make his season debut on Thursday against the San Jose Sharks, sending Athanasiou to the press box as a healthy scratch. The 30-year-old Athanasiou has been held off the scoresheet in three games this season, averaging 9:47 time-on-ice and recording a -1 plus/minus rating.
Andreas Athanasiou will be a heatlhy scratch for the Blackhawks on Thursday, allowing Reichel to make his season debut. The talented 22-year-old Reichel played his first full NHL season in 2023-24, tallying 16 points (5G / 11A) and a -29 plus/minus rating in 65 games.
The Blackhawks will likely turn to Mrazek for the third straight game on Thursday when they host the San Jose Sharks. Despite a 1-2-0 record, Mrazek has been solid for the Blackhawks to start the season, showcasing a 2.71 GAA and .911 SV%, nearly mirroring the 3.05 GAA and .907 SV% he had last season. The Blackhawks enter the action on Thursday as -183 home favorites against a Sharks club that was defeated 3-2 in a shootout by the Dallas Stars in their previous game.
Knight struggled in his first outing this season, allowing four goals on 26 shots (.846 SV%) in a 5-3 loss to the Buffalo Sabres last week, but will return to the crease for the Panthers for a second time in their first five games. With Sergei Bobrovsky in his age 36 season, coming off consecutive long playoff runs, this could be an indication Knight's workload going forward this season. The Panthers, still without Aleksander Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk, enter action as -153 road favourites on the road against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
The Blackhawks will turn to Mrazek between the pipes for the third time in their first four games to start the season. The Czech netminder has a 3.03 GAA and .906 SV% through two games this season (1-1-0) and was terrific in his most recent outing, saving 36 of 38 shots (.947 SV%) in a 5-2 win over the Edmonton Oilers. The Blackhawks enter action on Tuesday as +132 road underdogs against an undefeated Calgary Flames club (3-0-0) that has already scored 16 goals this season.
Knight struggled in his first outing this season, allowing four goals on 26 shots (.846 SV%) in a 5-3 loss to the Buffalo Sabres last week, but will return to the crease for the Panthers for a second time in their first five games. With Sergei Bobrovsky in his age 36 season, coming off consecutive long playoff runs, this could be an indication Knight's workload going forward this season. The Panthers, still without Aleksander Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk, enter action as -153 road favourites on the road against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Knight spent the entire 2023-24 season in the AHL, where he was 25-14-5 with a 2.41 GAA and .905 SV%. The 2019 No.13 overall pick has appeared in 57 career NHL games, going 32-17-6 with a 2.91 GAA and .906 SV%. Tonight he faces the Sabres as -110 road favourites.
Smith registered a -1 plus/minus in 12:13 time-on-ice in the Blackhawks' season opener on Tuesday but will be a healthy scratch on Friday in favor of Andreas Athanasiou. Smith was signed by the Blackhawks in the offseason after playing 75 games with the Dallas Stars in the 2023-24 campaign, scoring 20 points (11G / 9A).
Craig Smith will be a healthy scratch on Friday, allowing Athanasiou to make his season debut. The 30-year-old Athanasiou had a 2023-24 campaign that was plagued with injuries, limiting him to only nine points (2G / 7A) in 28 games.
Allan made his NHL debut on Tuesday, playing 10:26 time-on-ice, but will draw out of the lineup on Friday in favor of Wyatt Kaiser. The 21-year-old Allan was the 32 overall pick of the Blackhawks in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft.
Nolan Allan will be a healthy scratch on Friday, allowing Kaiser to make his season debut. The 22-year-old Kaiser played 32 games with the Blackhawks last season, tallying seven points (0G / 7A), 46 blocks, and 22 hits.
Petr Mrazek struggled in the Blackhawks season-opening 5-2 loss to the Utah Hockey Club, allowing four goals on 26 shots (.846 SV%). As such, the Blackhawks will turn to Soderblom for their second game of the the season, a tilt against the Winnipeg Jets, who steamrolled to a 6-0 win over the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday. The 25-year-old Soderblom appeared in 32 games last season (5-22-2), posting a pedestrian 3.92 GAA and .879 SV%.
Kaiser was absent from the first game of the season for the Blackhawks due to an illness but will likely be inserted back into the lineup shortly. The 22-year-old defenseman played 32 games with the Blackhawks last season, tallying seven points (0G / 7A), 46 blocks, and 22 hits.
